


When Skies are Grey

by Barbara_Lazuli



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: F/F, Human AU, because it's a horrible title, finally found something better suited, previously Little Peri Wants to Play, weather manipulation
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-20
Updated: 2017-10-03
Packaged: 2018-10-08 07:29:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,220
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10381629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Barbara_Lazuli/pseuds/Barbara_Lazuli
Summary: Rain woman. Storm Lady. Water Witch. Those are the names Peridot hears some people call the girl named Lapis Lazuli.





	1. Rain, Rain, Go Away

**Author's Note:**

> Heya guys! I was in a block while writing Chapter 15 of Pieces of Me, so I'll let you guys read the first chapter of this "2-shot" for now. 
> 
> I really like the idea that Lapis can control the weather with her emotions because of terraforming :/

Rain woman. Storm Lady. Water Witch. Those are the names Peridot hears some people - mostly superstitious elderly people, naïve children, or that weird kid with blonde dreadlocks - call the girl named Lapis Lazuli.

Beach City is a usually sunny place. Of course, it is. It’s _Beach_ city. When Lapis Lazuli moved to the town, however, the skies would always seem a little darker and the rain would come more often. Of course, just a simple coincidence wouldn’t actually let people think that it’s Lazuli’s doing. It could just be a bad storm, for all the townsfolk knew. A month long storm. 

There have still been rumors spreading around about the “Water Witch”, no matter how ridiculous they may sound. One child said that she once saw Lazuli sitting on the curb, crying, with the rain as heavy as it is during a typhoon. Dreadlock-guy said that he saw Lazuli controlling the water she had in a bottle. One old woman said that she saw Lazuli playing at the Beach with Steven, and the sun was shining as brightly as it did before Lazuli and her blue hair came at this town.

Peridot is a reasonable person. She knows that these are just rumors and coincidences, but there really are times when even the most logical person would hope that extraordinary things are possible in this boring, old planet. Maybe Lazuli is an alien whose emotions can affect Earthly weather. Peridot sure would love to talk to an alien. Judging by how often it rains – if the rumors are true – Lazuli could be a really sad alien, but an alien, still.

“Geez, the rain sure is getting heavy,” Amethyst says one day as her fingers drum on the cast around her injured leg, pausing the game she and Peridot were playing to glance at the huge window of their house.

Peridot looks at the window, the drops of rain huge and heavy, causing loud sounds of their pitter-pattering on the glass to envelop the home her friend Amethyst shares with two other women and Steven. 

“She must be really sad,” Peridot mumbles absent-mindedly. “It’s never rained _this_ hard before.”

Amethyst looks incredulously at her but her smile says that she’s also amused. “Don’t tell me you believe what those weridos say.”

“I-I don’t!” Peridot brushes, somehow feeling like her intellect has been challenged. “I just thought that _if_ it were the case, she must be very sad to have caused such heavy rainfall.”

God, that sounded even more stupid out loud and Amethyst’s huge grin seems to agree. 

Heavy footfalls can be heard from the stairs in front of Steven’s bedroom and soon the young boy can be seen putting on a raincoat and a pair of rubber boots. He rummages around the living room, looking for something.

“Hey, Ste-man, watcha looking for? And are you planning to go out in this storm?”

“I’m looking for the umbrella and yes, I’m going out,” Steven says without hesitation. “Lapis could be in trouble. Or sad.”

Peridot straightens her posture and Amethyst laughs. “Dude, you shouldn’t believe everything Ronaldo says. That kid’s really weird.”

“I don’t believe it because other people told me about it,” Steven says, the found umbrella in his hands. “I believe it because I saw it myself. Lapis keeps on denying it, but I know it’s true.” 

“Come on, she’s probably just grouchy like usual,” Amethyst tries to say, but the boy isn’t listening.

Steven turns to the door with a quick goodbye and Amethyst tries to stand up, but the cast on her leg just made her stumble back to the couch.

“Steven, wait!” She holds out her hand but it’s too late, the screen door is already shut and Steven is out of sight, only the strong shower of rain visible to the two of them. “Ah, damnit. Pearl’s gonna kill me. And then Garnets gonna silently stare disapprovingly while Pearl breaks my other leg and kills me again! Hey, Peri, could you do me favour and at least go with the kid?”

Peridot nods, her green umbrella already in her hand. “Don’t have to ask.”

It turns out, catching up to a kid already well-equipped with rubber boots in the middle of heavy rainfall using legs as short as Peridot’s is pretty clodding hard. It’s a good thing that she caught up to him before her glasses got completely fogged up.

“You… bratty, hah… little clod…” Peridot pants, her hands having a vice-like grip on Steven’s raincoat. “Do you have any idea how dangerous it is to walk around in a storm like this?!”

“Oh, I’m sorry, Peridot,” Steven looks her over with a worried look. “Are you okay?”

“I meant dangerous for you, doofus,” Peridot sighs, her hand not holding the umbrella dragging down her face. “Just… at least let me go with you so Pearl won’t have to kill Amethyst,okay?”

Steven smiles and takes Peridot’s hand. “Okay.”

“So, uh, where does the Wat-“ Peridot clears her throat, “Where does Lazuli live, anyway?”

“By the docks beside Funland Amusement Park.”

“Seriously?” Peridot grimaces. “That’s reeeaally far from here.”

“Yeah, but we’re not going there. Lapis loves hanging out at the lighthouse. We’re gonna check if she’s there first.”

Peridot nods, wondering what kind of kid would brave through a storm to check on a friend he met only weeks ago because of silly rumors. Going up to the light house wasn’t easy. It was up the edge of a cliff, so they had to walk on wet grass and muddy dirt upward the hill. Peridot scowls at how wet her shoes already are. She just hopes Lazuli really is in the stupid light house.

Peridot’s waist below is dripping wet by the time they got inside the isolated light house. Her shoes make a squishing noise at every step she and Steven made up the spiral staircase. Looking at Steven’s rubber boots, she thinks that maybe she should buy a pair, too, if Lazuli really is going to stay at Beach City from now on.

“Laaaapiiiissss…..” Steven calls out rather loudly, his voice echoing within the tall building. “Are you here? Laaaaapiiiiiii-mmf!?”

“Darn it, Steven, could you tone your voice down a bit!” Steven’s voice remains muffled by Peridot’s hand and she lets go when he finally quiets down. “Seriously. Your voice is even louder than the rain.”

“Hehe,” Steven rubs the back of his neck sheepishly. “Sorry.”

“Steven?” An unfamiliar voice says from the top end of the stair case. It must be Lapis Lazuli. “Is that you?”

“Lapis!” Steven exclaims as he starts jogging up the stairs. 

Peridot silently curses before running after him. By the time she gets to the top, she collapses on the ground, already out of breath. She really hates stairs.

“Steven, who is this?” a female voice asks. 

Peridot can’t see anything since the lantern room of the lighthouse is relatively darker than the stairwell. The rotating light of the lamp passes in front of the three of them and for 5 short seconds, Peridot can finally see Lapis Lazuli. Her chin-length blue hair is dishevelled, and despite the rather dark lighting, she can see that Lazuli has a tan complexion. She can’t see what color her eyes are, but Peridot can tell that they’re darker than her own green eyes and quite sullen and red-rimmed. Those eyes narrow at her and Peridot finally realizes that she’s staring.

“Who are you?” Lapis asks a little more apprehensively.

Peridot’s tongue gets caught in her throat but she somehow manages to croak out a reply. “P-Peridot. Peridot Johnson.”

“She’s my friend!” Steven looks up at Lapis as he says this, his short arms wrapped around the tall girl’s waist. “It was raining really hard, so I had Peri bring me here to check on you. Are you okay?”

Lazuli spares Peridot a wary glance before looking at the huge glass panes. “I didn’t even notice,” Lapis mumbles just when the drumming of the rain starts to become softer. Lapis looks down at Steven with a soft smile. “Sorry, Steven. I’m fine, don’t worry.”

“But, the rain…”

She looks back at the glass pane, the beating of the rain now soft and soothing. “See? I’m okay.”

Steven still looks worried but he nods, reassuring Lapis. “Alright.” He let’s go of her waist and goes back to Peridot who’s still sitting at the top step of the stairs. “I think you can go now, Peridot. Lapis can walk me home later. Unless… you want to stay.”

Peridot looks cautiously at Lapis whose back is turned to her. Having her eyes adjusted to the dark room, Peridot can see something at the edge of the back collar of Lapis’ tank top, right in the middle of her back. It seems to be the beginning of a scar. Lapis’ head turns to look at her, her eyes intense and definitely not friendly. So she stands up and turns to leave, but the small puddle that her soaked shoes left made her slip. Her heart jumps, her whole life flashing before her eyes as she feels herself get pulled by gravity.

_I knew I should’ve just waited downstairs._

Peridot braces for her head and body to repeatedly hit the numerous steps of the spiral stairwell, but it doesn’t come. A strong hand pulls her by the arm and she finds herself on the floor, farther from the stupid steps and embarrassingly near Lazuli’s face, her right hand clutching Peridot’s left arm and her left hand holding the smaller girl’s lower back.

Lapis looks at the stairs then back at her, probably searching for anywhere she got hurt. “Are you okay?”  
She asks urgently. Peridot’s been hearing that sentence a lot today.

Peridot couldn’t answer, too happy to be alive and not tumbling down an endless flight of stairs to her doom. She probably looks stupid, but she can’t help the huge grin that made its way on her face. Lapis is surprised and she stutters, her cheeks coloring a little before finally letting go and looking away. Steven giggles from the other side of the room looking at the glass pane, but Peridot can’t make herself care.

“Are you gonna go or what?” Lapis grumbles from where she’s standing with her arms crossed.

“R-right!” Peridot laughs and waves to Steven. 

A little more carefully than before, she goes down the spiral staircase, her smile never leaving her face. She doesn’t know when the rain stopped, but by the time she got out to the lighthouse’s grassy field, the sun was brightly shining.


	2. Come Again Another Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peridot visits again. Then again. Then again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, look! I’m not dead yet! And neither are my fics. Sorry guys. It’s just hard to type stuff up when you don’t have your own computer. I’ll update PoM after this, but I won’t have an exact date. I won’t make promises I can’t keep anymore.
> 
> Anyway, yeah, I changed this to a three-parter because this got waaay too darn long. I hope you guys like it :)

Peridot has noticed a pattern in Beach City’s weather. It’s gloomy during the day and a little stormy during the night, usually when people are already asleep. There was even a time when Peridot woke up because of a loud thunder. It only gets sunny when Steven goes over to the light house where Lazuli often is which he does daily after school. If the rumors really are true, she only wishes that summer vacation comes early so that Steven can visit the mysterious girl more often.

One particular day, however, Steven is unable to make his visit.

“What? You want _me_ to visit her?! Are you sure about that?”

“Please, Peridot…” Steven begs from the other line, Peridot’s phone tucked between her shoulder and cheek as she continues typing on her computer. “I really have to stay late at school. We’ve still got a lot of stuff to do to prepare for Beachapalooza and I don’t have the time to go to the light house to tell Lapis. I don’t want her to just wait for me when I’m not even gonna come.”

There are muffled sounds from the other room where one of her roommates stays. She must be fighting with someone again. Maybe another girlfriend. Peridot decides to ignore it. “Well… Why don’t you just text or call her then?”

“She doesn’t have a phone, Peri…”

“Of course she doesn’t,” Peridot sighs as she rests her head on her hand. “Steven, I don’t think she wants to see anyone who isn’t you. Me going there might create a tsunami or something!”

Loud laughter booms from outside her door, her other roommates probably watching T.V. or cracking jokes. Peridot stops typing. She can’t concentrate on schoolwork with her roommates and Steven distracting her.

“What? That’s not true. I’m sure she’ll like you. Please, Peridot? Hey, Connie!” Peridot can hear shuffling from the other end and sure enough, Steven’s friend is already pleading to Peridot alongside him.

“Pleeeeaaaaaaaase…” two voices drawl.

Peridot groans… and groans… until it turns into a high-pitched “Ahhhh!” She can hear them cheer and she knows that they know that they have won.

“Just know this, Universe… When the ocean floods your house, it’s your fault, not mine.”

 

The trek up to the light house is easier than last time since it isn’t raining anymore. Still, Peridot wore her newly bought rubber boots and brought a parka just in case. The clouds look pretty heavy, after all. Up the stairs, Peridot thinks about Steven’s warning.

“Lapis might get startled and upset if you suddenly go up there without warning,” Steven had said. “Just, maybe, announce your presence from the stairs? Yeah. You can just do that.”

She’s only ten steps from getting to the top, but Peridot stops. She hesitates for a moment before speaking up with a slightly raised voice.

“Hey. Lazuli?” There was only silence so Peridot continues. “It’s me. Peridot? From the other day? I’m the one who almost died ‘cause I slipped and almost fell down the stairs.” 

Peridot tries to laugh but no one laughs back at her. Just as she was almost convinced that no one is up there, Lazuli walks out of the shadows, her eyes narrowed and precautious.

“You were that kid Steven was with.”

“Kid?” Peridot says indignantly. “I’m nineteen!”

Lapis’ wariness is almost comically replaced by surprise and doubt. “… Are you sure?”

“Wha – Do you want to see my birth certificate?” Peridot looks up as she thinks seriously. “I think I have a copy somewhere. I always keep one just in case…”

She hears Lazuli snort. She’s certain she saw her smile for a split second before she immediately puts on a neutral face again. Lazuli crouches down to sit on the top step, facing Peridot as she rests her jaw on both hands. 

“Is Steven coming?” Lazuli glances from behind Peridot, looking as if she’s waiting for Steven to suddenly show himself.

“He won’t make it today. He’s busy preparing for Beachapalooza.”

“Oh.” Lazuli’s face falls. Peridot can see the glass panes from where she’s standing. The clouds are getting darker. “It’s fine. He didn’t have to send you to let me know. I know I can’t expect him to be here every day. You didn’t have to bother to come here.”

“I don’t mind,” Peridot shrugs, understanding what Lazuli means. Or, at least, what she thinks she means. “I’m just glad that you didn’t yell at me to go away or something since you probably don’t like me or anyone who isn’t Steven here.” Peridot tries to humorly laugh but Lazuli doesn’t, so she stops. “Anyway, Steven just didn’t want you to wait for nothing, you know?”

Lapis quietly stares at her before nodding.

“Well…” Awkwardly, Peridot rubs the back of her neck. Her nerves make her say the following words too quickly in a single breath. “That was all I wanted to say, so I’m gonna go ‘cause I’m probably bothering you. So… Bye!”

When she turns to go down, she cringes at herself for how awkward she sounded just now. Suddenly, Lazuli speaks up, making Peridot halt.

“I don’t mind having you here.”

When Peridot turns back to look at her, Lazuli is already standing with her back facing her, ready to go back to the lantern room. She speaks up before Lazuli’s completely back in her usual spot.

“Then do you mind if I come back again?”

The words fall out of her mouth before she’s even realized what she’s said. Before she can even regret them, Lazuli turns to look at her with a reply.

“Sure. This thing isn’t mine, anyway.”

Peridot beams and Lapis looks away. Without saying another word, Lapis hides back inside the room. Peridot isn’t sure why, but it’s surprisingly sunny when she once again steps out of the lighthouse.

Ever since then, Peridot has been frequenting the old building. Steven hasn’t had the time to stay with Lapis lately, but he still stops over to quickly greet her when he can. When they’re alone together, they don’t talk aside for the usual hellos from Peridot and the nods from Lapis. They kept themselves busy individually. Lapis would either read a book with a flashlight when there is no daylight or stare at the sea. Sometimes she would write something on what Peridot assumes to be a journal. Peridot prefers to sit on the stairs where there’s light when she studies or does her schoolwork. Even during the day, however, she still prefers to stay there, never really entering the lantern room. Just like today.

“Hey,” Lazuli greets her as she settles on a couple of stairs above the ones Peridot is perched on. “How come you always come here? Isn’t it better to do that at home?”

Peridot looks at the pile of papers and notebooks Lazuli pointed at. “I’m sorry. Am I bothering you?”

“No. I was just wondering. The climb up here isn’t exactly easy.”

Peridot subtly sighs in relief before answering. “It’s easier to do them here, actually. It’s quieter, so I can concentrate better.” She thinks for a moment if she should ask what she wants to. “How about you? Why do you come here? It’s pretty far from where you live.”

Lapis raises a brow. “You know where I live?”

“Uh – Well, It’s a pretty small town. And Steven told me.”

“Oh…” Lapis says as she blankly looks at the notebook. “I come here to look at the ocean.”

Peridot looks at her incredulously. “But you live near the docks,” she says flatly.

She’s taken by surprise when Lapis smirks. “Yeah. But the ocean looks beautiful from up here. It’s less scary.”

“I don’t really understand how looking at the ocean from such a height is less scarier than looking at it safely from the ground… but I guess it can be beautiful.”

“You haven’t seen it from up here?”

Peridot shakes her head and thinks, _I don’t want to invade your space more than I already have._

Lapis bites her lip and she turns to look back at the lantern room while Peridot does her best not to stare. She just buried her face inside her notebook again when she feels a finger tap her shoulder. Lapis is leaning towards her with an outstretched hand. 

She didn’t notice it when Lapis saved her the other day but now that she’s close enough again, she can see that her eyes are blue. Like the ocean. She’s not smiling anymore, but she’s not scowling either. Her eyes are now warm, however, earnest and questioning.

“Do you want to see?”

She takes her hand and gets pulled up. She doesn’t notice, but neither of them let go. “Okay.”

She’s lead by the hand to the room and Peridot is surprised to see that the sky is clear. Much clearer than when she came here. Lapis tugs on her hand so that they can get closer to the glass panes but Peridot resists.

“I, um, I changed my mind. I don’t think I want to see after all.”

Lapis lets go of her hand. “Oh. Are you afraid of heights?”

“… Maybe? It’s more like I’m afraid of falling.”

Her blue eyes give her a sceptical look. “You’re not gonna fall, don’t worry.” She raps her knuckles on a glass pane. “See?”

“Mmm… Right. Okay.” She fixes a determined look on her face before taking tentative steps. 

Looking at something from a different point of view really does things to a person. She has lived at Beach city for over a year now and has seen the sea multiple times, to the point where she has sometimes felt like she has gotten sick of it. Looking at it from above, however, is a much different experience. From here, she can see how the ocean hugs the entirety of the shore before retreating back and clashing to it again. She can see the light bouncing on the ocean waves, making it look like it’s sparkling. She can see the how the corals and seafloor can still be seen on shallow parts of the beach but barely visible in the deeper parts, giving the illusion that the water has different colors when it, in fact, doesn’t have any at all. 

“Whoa…” she breathes.

“Not a bad way to _sea _the ocean, huh?”__

__Peridot has to take a moment to make sure that she heard Lapis right. Like she was making a joke. When she sees the grin on the other girl’s face, she allows herself a snort. Then a laugh._ _

__“Oh god, you’ve been hanging out with Steven way too much.”_ _

__Lapis shrugs. “You’re here almost every day, but I don’t think we’ve properly hung out enough.”_ _

__Peridot smiles, her head tilted. “Are you okay with that?”_ _

__“Why not? If you’re Steven’s friend…”_ _

__Peridot’s grin grows bigger. She holds out her hand which Lapis questioningly looks at. “Let’s introduce ourselves to each other again. Properly. I’m Peridot Johnson.”_ _

__Lapis face says that she thinks what they’re doing is ridiculous, but she takes her hand to shake anyway. “I’m Lapis Lazuli.”_ _

__Lapis matches Peridot’s huge grin with a small smile but she thinks that’s enough for now. She walks away from the glass pane to the unlit lantern, much more relaxed now that she knows that they’re on more friendly terms._ _

__“So… Can you really control the weather?”_ _

__“Would you believe me if I say yes?”_ _

__“Maybe not completely, but I will have questions.”_ _

__Lapis tilts her head. “Like what?”_ _

__“Yes or no first.”_ _

__Lapis sighs. “Yes. I kind of can.”_ _

__“Kind of?”_ _

__“My emotions affect the weather. I don’t exactly have control over my emotions. So I…” She looks down. “I don’t mean to make it rain in Beach city all the time.”_ _

__“That’s okay…” She offers a smile. “I don’t know what’s making you sad, but if it’s what you feel then it’s fine. Don’t feel about things you don’t have control over. It’s okay to be sad.”_ _

__It takes a while for Lapis to look up. When she finally does, there’s a smirk on her face again._ _

__“That was really sappy.”_ _

__Peridot was just about to retort that she prefers the term sentimental when her phone suddenly vibrates. She excuses herself and takes the call. When it ends, she tucks her phone back into her pocket with a sigh._ _

__“What’s the matter?” Lapis asks._ _

__“I gotta go.” She goes to the staircase to gather her things and Lapis follows after her. “Our exams are coming up and my stupid roommate decided to have a last minute tutorial session. Honestly. That cloddy slacker…”_ _

__“Oh yeah, school. Steven’s busy with that, too.”_ _

__The bitterness in her voice doesn’t go unnoticed by Peridot. She wants to ask if Lapis goes to school too since she seems like she’s her age but asks instead, “Can I come again?”_ _

__“I told you. I don’t own the place.”_ _

__“I meant, can I come back to see you again? Not just come here to do my homework or study. To talk.”_ _

__Lapis smiles and says, “whatever,” before going back inside._ _

__When Peridot heads out, she realizes something. It hasn’t truly rained in a while._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys have a good day :)


	3. Mr. Golden Sun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dates are pretty hard things to fully grasp, even with the help of friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who passedher demo lesson with flying colors? This chic!!
> 
> To celebrate I uodated this thought-to-be forgotten fic haha

“’Kay, so, when you take a dump what happens then?” 

Lapis heard what she said. Peridot is quite sure of it despite the other girl’s lack of response. Finally, Lapis puts her journal down before levelling her with a blank stare. Peridot patiently waits for her, her legs swinging back and forth as she lies on her stomach on the lantern room’s floor.

“What?”

“So the weather changes depending on your mood or emotions, right?”

“Uh-huh…” Lapis’ face remains blank.

“And we have, might I say, _complicated_ emotions when we defecate –“

“- Yeah.” Lapis snorts. “If frustration counts–“

“- so I was just wondering. What happens during times like those? When you fart, will lightning strike?”

“Pfft!” 

“Or maybe thunder would be more appropriate?”

Lapis, meanwhile, doesn’t answer because she’s too busy laughing on the floor. Peridot scowls, offended that Lapis thinks her inquiries are amusing while she truly is curious about it. 

It’s for Science!

Lapis continues to guffaw and wheeze, barely audible words escaping her lips from in between laughter.

“Oh my god – appropriate – thunder farts – ha ha ha ha HA HA HA!” 

“Lapis….” Peridot groans, mostly out of exasperation, partly because she can. She only recently let herself call the other girl by her first name. Lapis never bothered to tell her that she should do otherwise, so it makes her quite happy. “I was asking a serious question, you know?”

Lapis wipes a tear from her eye and her laughter subsides but her smile remains. Peridot doesn’t mind that very much. She quite likes Lapis' smile.

“Oh, you were? That’s even funnier.” Lapis snorts again, another bout of laughter threatening to occur. Peridot just tries to keep her expression as serious as she can. “Well, hell if I know. I don’t exactly look out the window while I shit. How about this? Next time nature calls, I’ll tell you so you can look up the sky and see for yourself.”

“Really?”

“Dude, no.”

Peridot clicks her tongue as she buries her head behind her arm. “Fine,” Peridot says as she continues to play on her phone. She subtly peeks over it and sees that Lapis is back to writing on her journal. 

Peridot sighs.

It’s true that she really was curious a moment ago but she only said that because she was too nervous to say what she really came here for. Admittedly, she could have asked a less ridiculous question. Peridot is just secretly relieved that Lapis thought it was amusing and not gross. Well, she probably did. She’s just glad that it was still amusing to her.

Her phone notifies her that she has a message from Steven. She squirms in place, anxiety twisting in her gut. 

**Steven:** _Did you ask her yet? What did she say?_

Peridot looks up and accidentally catches Lapis looking at her. Surprised – and maybe a little confused – Peridot looks away. She busies herself with typing a reply instead.

 **Me:** _I'm getting there ok?_

Peridot buries her face more in her arms, trying to come up with ways to ask Lapis, like she has been doing since she began her trek to the lighthouse. She's not even sure why she's nervous. She'll just be asking her to go to the Beachapalooza with her to support Steven and Connie. It was Steven's idea anyway. It's not like she'll be asking her on a date or anything.

Then Peridot's mind starts wondering about what dating Lapis _really_ would be like.

"Argh..." Peridot groans into her forearms. Her ears are probably red right now.

"Okay," she hears Lapis say and the sound of her journal being put on the floor, "either _you're_ the one being called by nature or something's wrong."

Peridot looks at her but has to turn away from the intensity of her ocean blue gaze. "Nothing's necessarily wrong, but uh... You know how Steven and her friend Connie are gonna perform for Beachapalpoza later tonight?"

Lapis nods slowly. "Yeah."

"Well..." She drags out the L sound as she sits upright. "I was wondering if you would like to go and watch them. S-steven wanted to ask."

"I don't know. It's really near the shore," Lapis whispers almost inaudibly. Peridot still doesn't ubderstand Lapis' fear of the ocean when she loves looking at it so much. "I already told Steven that I can't. What if it rains? I'll just ruin things for Steven and the others."

"But it's not raining right now. It hasn't rained too hard recently."

"That's because I have you with me."

Peridot isn't sure how she's supposed to take that, but her heart suddenly picks up speed anyway. "O-oh... Well, I could be there with you, you know."

Something flashes behind Lapis' eyes. "You're going with me?"

"Only if you want to!" Peridot answers in a panic. "I know that we only really just see each other when I... loiter... here in your " spot", but if you're okay with spending time wih me outside of this lighthouse then it's ok with me. If you're calm when I'm with you, then I'll accompany you all night."

"Are you _sure_ you'd rather spend time with an emotionally unstable girl than with your friends?"

Peridot tilts her head. "Lapis... If I didn't like spending time with you then I wouldn't have bothered climbing up that stupid hill and that cloddy staircase almost everyday."

When Lapis only stares at Peridot in response, Peridot hides behind her phone again. "It won't be too bad. The music will be good amd Garnet, Pearl, and Amethyst will be there."

"And you'll be with me all night, right?"

Peridot turns away from her phone and sees Lapis, looking scared, uncertain, and hopeful. She smiles. "Of course. I want you there with me. It's why I'm asking in the first place."

Lapis looks so her fringes cover her eyes. She pushes ot back with her hand before letting them fall into her eyes again. Lapis often does that and it always messes up her blue hair but Peridot absolutely loves it. Especially now, when she's smiling so brightly at her. 

Peridot's heart races, making her forget that she should really be embarrassed for saying such a thing out loud.

"Okay. It's a date, then."

Peridot's heart is already running a marathon by now. "It's a - um - huh?"

God, she swears she's more intelligent than any average 19 year old, but being with Lapis more often than not reduces her to a mumbling mess. 

Whatever it is Peridot was trying to say, she doesn't get to finish because Lapis abruptly stands up, her journal in hand. When Lapis heads for the stairs, Peridot gets to collect her thoughts and stands after her. 

"H-hey! Where're you going?"

Lapis turns her head. "'Going to get ready." She takes one foot down a step, stops, adds "I'll see you at the beach at 7", and then she's gone.

Peridot just stands there, alone in the lantern room, the sun shining insanely bright and hot on her back.

She has a date.

\---- ---- ---- ----

A confused and desperate text to Steven later and Peridot finds Steven's "family" in her apartment. Pearl is digging through Peridot's closet, Amethyst scavenging for food in the fridge and Garnet sitting on her bed doing... Garnet things. Peridot isn't sure. She's been stationary for some time now. She could either be watching them or sleeping behind those shades.

"Oh this is so exciting," Pearl says in her usual sing-song voice. "Peridot has a date, Garnet. A date!"

"Uh-hmm," Garnet hums. 

Oh. So she isn't asleep after all.

"It's not a big deal guys," Peridot groans. "I'll just be going to Beachapalooza with Lapis. I don't need to look fancy when I go to the _beach_."

"Well of course not!" Pearl scoffs. "Wearing something like a suit would be stupid." Her head pokes out from the closet so that she could eye Peridot's outfit, like she didn't do that the moment they entered her apartment. "All I'm saying is that you should probably wear something other than the hoodie and shorts that you always wear. Tonight is special. At least _look_ like you think so." Her head is back to hiding inside the closet. "You said that Lapis went home to 'get ready' right? She's most likely fretting over her appearance for the date at this moment. Looking like tonight isn't at all special would be rude, no?"

Garnet nods, again confirming to Peridot that the taller woman is still conscious.

"Okay but, I just find difficulty getting dating advices from a girl who risked getting arrested just to ask some stranger out," Peridot grumbles.

She hears Pearl's head bump something in the closet and Peridot cackles while Garnet chuckles.

"That's a pretty low blow, Peridot," Garnet smirks. "You know Pearl can't resist women with pink hair." When Pearl glares at her, she shrugs. "But, that just shows how dedicated she is. Getting dating advice from her is better than nothing."

"Better than getting it from Amethyst," Pearl quips back and they all laugh.

Speak of the devil and she appears, kicking Peridot's door open.

"Hey Per, you're out if cookies and milk!"

Peridot narrows her eyes. "I just bought some last night."

"And they're gone now," Amethyst licks what is undoubtedly a remnant of chocolate chip from her fingers.

Peridot' frustrated growl is drowned out by Pearl's triumphant shout of "Aha!"

From Peridot's closet she pulls out a pair of cargo pants and dark green polo shirt. She throws it to Peridot who is pleasantly surprised.

"Huh. I honestly thought you were going to give me something stuffy but this isn't bad."

Pearl raises her pointy nose, soaking in the good job she's done.

"I don't get why you're so troubled over this," Amethyst says as she scoots beside Garnet. "Just wear anything that can show off your rack. Yours isn't half bad after all."

Peridot feels her face flush. "I'd rather not do something so... inelegant."

"Eh," Amethyst shrugs. "Suit yourself. I don't doubt that Lapis would appreciate it."

Peridot doesn't respond to that.

"Oh please, Peridot doesn't need that right now," Pearl says with a dismissive hand. "It's only the first date. We'll have to go clothes shopping for the second one though. You'll need clothes that show off your assets then."

Amethyst laughs at Peridot's crimsom face. Pearl is confused by Amethyst's amusement. "Well it's true," Pearl said.

Peridot is ready to kick all of them out of her room when a pair of hands land on her shoulder. She cranes her neck up to look at the ridiculously tall Garnet.

"Don't worry," Garnet says with a soothing voice before smiling. "Just go and have fun."

That's probably the best advise she got all night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will be a looot fluffier ;)


	4. You’ll Never Know, Dear, How Much

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> First dates are hard. Peridot is lucky she has somewhat helpful friends

Contrary to popular belief, Peridot has dated before. She was quite popular among her fellow nerds during high school. She doesn’t really mean to say that she’s the kind of attractive nerdy teenage boys fawned after. It was mostly because she was the only girl who had the same interest as them at school. 

“Kind of like you were in an island, and the only girl around for those boys was you,” Garnet says.

“That was a horrible metaphor.” Peridot cringes at the thought.

“That was a simile, actually,” Pearl interjects.

Peridot narrows her eyes at the taller woman.

“Okay, so Peri was the only chic at the sausage party,” Amethyst says, “then what happened?”

Peridot and Pearl simultaneously give her a disgusted look. Garnet looks at Peridot.

“You dated some of them?”

Peridot tries to think about the horrors of high school. “Yeah… I tried dating this guy, he was fine. It’s just… we didn’t really do anything besides play video games, and that wasn’t really any different from what we always do with our friends. We both knew jack about dating. Eventually we broke it off. It was a relief for both of us, really. We got more comfortable with each other after that.”

“You weren’t sad?” Pearl asked.

“Not really. We never even got to kiss.”

Amethyst snorts but a glare her way stops the oncoming jeers. Amethyst bounces her eyebrows up and down. “What about your other admirers, eh?”

Peridot shifts uncomfortably as they continue their walk to the boardwalk. “I didn’t try dating after that. I realized I wasn’t interested in any of them like that.”

“’Cuz you’re gay as a rainbow!” Amethyst exclaims and Pearl and Garnet laugh.

“Shhh!” Peridot looks around at all the other people passing by them, but the only emotion they show is surprise at Amethyst’s outburst.

“Oh relax, Peri,” Amethyst waves her hand dismissively. “Beach city doesn’t care about that. You’ve been living here for two years. Get used to it. You’re free here.”

Peridot looks around again, at all the people going about their business, heading for Beachapalooza like them. They were all happy. Peridot has only ever been comfortable in her own skin when she started living here since it’s closer to her university.

She wanted to show this to Lapis, too. As much as she loved spending time in the lighthouse with her, alone in their own world, Peridot wanted Lapis to be here, too. To be with other people and realize how free she can be without needing to isolate herself from everything else. To look at how beautiful the ocean is without needing to be so far so she can run away just in case she thinks the ocean is going to swallow her whole.

She hears Amethyst snicker and tap her shoulder. “Hey, nerd, look at that.” She points her finger and Peridot’s eyes follow their direction.

Lapis is seated on a bench, her dark blue sundress billowing as it follows the ocean wind. Her short blue hair has become unruly because of the wind, but Peridot suspects that she tried fixing it before coming here. She’s wearing light making up, after all. Lapis’ eyes move away from the ocean as she finally notices Peridot. She stands up.

Peridot gulps when those blue eyes land on her. She’s never seen them in that shade before. The lights from the food stalls and the stage on the beach are reflected in her eyes. They’re like the colors of midnight: dark, with the promise of something light in due time.

Lapis’ eyes flash briefly toward Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl. She shifts nervously but steels herself as she makes barely confident strides toward them.

“Hey,” Lapis says, her eyes only on Peridot.

Peridot only answers with a nervous smile. Her voice might betray her. Lapis looks so pretty tonight.

She only remembers that she actually has an audience when she hears two people sigh an “awe”(Pearl sincerely and Amethyst mockingly). Peridot’s face turns crimson red. She doesn’t see Lapis’ reaction. She’s too busy trying not to look at her.

“Oh shoot!” Garnet snaps her fingers, making the most monotone panicked voice Peridot has ever heard anyone say. “Steven just texted me and said that he needs help tuning his guitar. Come on, ladies.” She pushes Pearl and Amethyst by the waist away from them and Peridot doesn’t mention that the direction their going is actually _away_ from the stage where Steven and Connie are preparing.

They can hear Amethyst and Pearl protesting but Garnet doesn’t relent. Just as when Peridot is mentally thanking Garnet, the other woman turns toward them as she’s walking away, smiling with her thumbs up.

Lapis _definitely_ saw that.

“You have… interesting… friends,” Lapis says.

“Yeah, uh,” Peridot laughs nervously, “they’re great. Most of the time…”

Peridot still isn’t looking at Lapis. She continues staring at her shoe until the silence between them becomes uncomfortable.

_Dude, say something! Anything! What would Amethyst say?_

She’d say, “hey guuurl, you looking fine tonight!”

_No, no, no. What about Pearl?_

“You’re appearance is very lovely tonight,” is what she’d probably say out of nerves.

“You look beautiful.”

Peridot finally looks up. She wasn’t the one who said that. It was Lapis.

“I, uh, I didn’t really put on anything special. I’m just –“

She clamps her mouth shut when Lapis’ hand gently cups her face. Her thumb caresses under her eyes.

“You’re not wearing your glasses. Your eyes are really pretty,” Lapis says almost dazedly before her cheeks darken, as if she’s only now noticing that what she said actually escaped her mouth. She retracts her hand and turns her back to her, making her scar more visible for Peridot. “So, uh, do we just wait for this thing to start, or?”

It takes Peridot a few seconds to process what Lapis said. “Oh! Beachapalooza, you mean?”

Lapis looks at her, her expression saying, _duh_.

Peridot relaxes at that. That’s the Lapis she’s used to. 

She looks at her phone’s watch. “We’ve still got time. Want to just buy something to eat first?”

She leads Lapis to the fry shop without asking. In her weeks of spending time with the other girl in the lighthouse, she would sometimes bring food. She knows what her favourite is. She briefly hears Lapis snort when she sees how similar the server’s hair is to the mascot’s but she holds back her laugh when Peridot elbows her. They go back to the beach and Lapis stops walking at the edge of the boardwalk, cautiously looking at the ocean. 

“Are you okay?”

Lapis nods. Then shakes her head. Peridot hears something rumble in the sky. 

“Maybe I shouldn’t have come here,” Lapis quietly says.

“Hey, don’t say that.” Peridot tries her most sincere smile. “Steven wants you to be here and hear him play.”

“What if I make it rain? We’re so near the ocean. What if something worse happens?”

Peridot reaches out, her hand near Lapis’ but only barely touching. Just offering. When Lapis takes it, Peridot grips firmly. “I won’t let it.”

Lapis let’s Peridot lead her to the sand. They pass by Garnet, Amethyst and Pearl, but Lapis most likely didn’t notice. She hasn’t taken her eyes off of Peridot. 

They sit at the back because Lapis doesn’t like the idea of having people behind her. By the second performance, Peridot loosens her hold on Lapis’ hand, just in case she wants to let go. She doesn’t though. Peridot is very happy about that. 

The fourth performer plays an upbeat song that has every one standing from their seats to dance. She feels Lapis tug on her hand and Peridot is surprised to see her expression, like she wants to dance along. Peridot reluctantly stands up. She’s not a very good dancer. It doesn’t really matter, when she sees how big Lapis’ smile is and hears how much she’s laughing. When the performer is done, Peridot has probably sweat through her shirt. It’s a hot night and all the other people fanning themselves would agree.

When Steven and Connie finally come up the stage, Lapis and Peridot straighten their back. From the other side of the audience, they hear Garnet whistle. 

Amethyst is standing on her chair, yelling “Yeah, Ste-man!” 

Pearl has already taken out her phone, saying “Steven! Look here! Oh, you’re so talented!” with her Mom voice.

Lapis laughs again and Peridot’s chest feels a kind of warmth more pleasant than the present temperature.

Steven waves back at her family before giving the rest of the audience a smile. When he notices Lapis and Peridot, he actually beams. From beside him, Connie stands with her violin, managing to look shy and confident at the same time. They nod at each other before they start playing, Connie with her violin and Steven with his ukulele. Their music makes Peridot smile. She never thought about a ukulele and violin being played together, but they surprisingly sound wonderful. Kind of like how well Steven and Connie fit together. When their song ends, Connie politely bows at the audience while Steven gestures flying kisses at every one. 

Amethyst stands up again, her fist in the air as she chants. “Encore! Encore! Encore!”

The audience chant with her, and Steven and Connie helplessly look at the host.

“Oh well, will you look at this!” the host, Mister Smiley, says as his voice is projected by the microphone. “The audience want to hear more! What do you think? You’re the last performers anyway. Want to end it with a bang?”

Steven looks at Connie. She shrugs and points at the violin that she already put back in its case. Steven shakes his head and whispers something to Connie’s ear. She smiles before nodding. When Steven retrieves his ukulele and Connie holds the microphone, the crowd cheers. Mr. Smiley motions for them to quiet down. Steven plays a slow melody, a song Peridot couldn’t recognise until Connie started singing.

“ _You are my sunshine, my only sunshine_

_You make me happy when skies are grey”_

She hears Lapis gasp before she feels a wet drop on her forehead. She looks up at the sky, and surely enough, a soft drizzle has started. She looks at Lapis but she isn’t sure if the water in her face is tears or rain. Lapis covers her eyes and closes in on herself.

“Oh no,” Lapis whimpers. She moves to stand up, probably to run away, but Peridot’s hand on her shoulder keeps her seated. 

Peridot is the one on her feet, singing along with Connie.

_”You’ll never know, dear, how much I love you”_

Lapis looks up at her and for once Peridot doesn’t look away. She hears Amethyst hoot and sing/scream along with her. Garnet and Pearl follow. Soon, so does the whole crowd. They’re all standing, swaying to the music, singing in the rain.

Peridot tugs on Lapis’ hand and she stands up, too. Peridot chokes on the lyrics when Lapis encircles her arms around her waist, their wet foreheads touching as Lapis sings to her.

_”Please don’t take my sunshine away”_

\---- ---- ---- ---- 

When the song ended, so did the rain. Lapis expected everyone to be mad about the it, but Peridot pointed out that it was hot anyway. It was a bit refreshing. 

Nobody complained. Some even thanked Lapis which surprised her.

When they reached Steven and Connie, Steven immediately apologized.

“Are you okay? I didn’t know that… _that_ would happen. I just wanted to play it for you. Since you taught it to me.”

Peridot’s eyes widen. “You can play the ukulele?”

Lapis shrugs. “A bit.” She turns back to Steven. “It’s okay. I was just caught in surprise.” She hugs Steven and ignores Pearl’s squawking at the fact that Lapis’ clothes were wet. “You were amazing.”

Peridot bumps Connie’s shoulder with her fist. “You were really good, too.”

Connie laughs. “Thanks. _You_ were quite a singer, too, though.”

Amethyst laughs and drapes a playful arm around Peridot, singing another song horrendously. Garnet joins along like she always does when Amethyst does something crazy, albeit with a better singing voice. Peridot laughs and sings along with her friends while Pearl rubs her soaked hair with a towel.

\---- ---- ---- ---- 

Peridot is nervous when she walks Lapis to her home. First, because she doesn’t really want the night to end. Second, her friends’ messages in their group chat keep on reminding her of the one thing she’s most terrified of doing at the moment.

**Bird Mom:** _A date isn’t complete without a quick kiss, Peridot._

**Pumathyst:** _It would proooobably be better if it wasn’t just a quick one, tho_

**G-squad:** _Just do it_

Garnet didn’t even type that one. She just sent a picture of Shia with his famous quote already in the image. Peridot groans as she tugs her phone back to her pocket.

“Is something wrong?” Lapis asks with a brow raised and a hint of worry. “Did you get sick because of the rain?”

“No, no,” Peridot shakes her head. When Lapis doesn’t continue walking, she realizes that they must already be at their destination. “Oh, uh, is this your place?”

“Yeah.” Lapis briefly looks back at the blue house behind her. “Mom’s probably already asleep.”

Ah. She has a mom. Peridot kinda forgot that parents existed.

“So, uh,” Peridot rubs her shoes on the asphalt. “I guess you gotta go, uh, sleep, too?”

That was horrible, and Lapis’ teasing smile says that she agrees but not that she hates it. Lapis steps closer and Peridot chokes on her words again, like she did when they were singing at the beach.

Lapis’ eyes are so close, looking for something in Peridot’s face. Waiting.

“What’ll happen when I kiss you?” Peridot quietly asks. _She’s so close._

Lapis smiles. “Well,” she whispers, “there’ll definitely be no thunder farts.”

Peridot glares at her and Lapis laughs. She can feel that laughter in her lips. She stands on her tip toes, just barely touching. She’s asking for permission and Lapis gives it when she leans down. 

If it’s raining, Peridot wouldn’t know. If Beach city is suddenly on fire because of Lapis’ mysterious powers, she wouldn’t know either. She’s too distracted by Lapis, by the lips moving against hers, the hand on her hip, and the fingers on her hair. When they break away, Peridot is breathless and Lapis’ face is red.

“Good night,” Lapis meekly says before running to her door and closing it. 

Peridot feels a sudden chill before she notices a snow flake falling on the ground. There’s frost there, too, where Lapis was standing. When they were kissing. Peridot’s smile is almost painfully stretching her face.

So that’s what happens.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I know, that song is a cliché, but I couldn’t help it since it fit so well with the story. I was really nervous about writing this, too, since this is my first time writing a kiss scene.
> 
> So… who’s still alive after all that fluff?

**Author's Note:**

> I have to admit, a bit of this is inspired by Juvia Loxar from Fairy tail haha


End file.
